Hair Accessory Device

ABSTRACT

A hair accessory device for decorating hair is provided. The hair accessory device comprises at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, and a first bead half and a second bead half. A hinge mechanism is mounted between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead. A releasable locking mechanism releasably secures the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position. The first bead half and the second bead half are movable from a closed position to an open position to receive at least a portion of the hair and from the open position to the closed position about the at least a portion of the hair. The at least one bead enables an effortless change of the at least one bead.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/203,607 filed Aug. 11, 2015, entitled, “EZ Beads,” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same were set forth in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of decorative hair accessories, and more specifically to the field of beaded hair clips.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A popular trend enjoyed by women of all ages is adorning their hair with various accessories. From silk headbands, shiny butterfly clips, colorful barrettes and pretty ribbons, adorning one's hair with these types of accessories enables individuals to add a colorful, elegant and sometimes whimsical touch to their overall look. One particularly popular way to decorate hair is with beads. Polymer clay, shiny glass, silver, and brightly colored plastic beads all make beautiful hair accessories. Beading one's hair is certainly not a new tradition. Over two thousand years ago, women and men alike wore heavy wigs bedecked with an array of lapis, stone and golden beads and in previous centuries, many women have long enjoyed beautiful braids, accentuated with these tiny, colorful ornamentations. Today, the trend of wearing beads in the hair is popular with women from all walks of life and many men sport this look as well.

Although beaded hair looks beautiful, it is a challenging look to achieve. Whether one is beading their own hair or having it done by a professional, beads are difficult to string onto hair strands or braids. Beading hair is similar to threading a needle. A small section of hair must fit neatly through the tiny openings that run through the center of the beads. Getting sections of hair to fit through these openings can be a cumbersome task, as hair often frays, making it challenging to strand. For many professional and amateur stylists alike, this task is unnerving as it requires keen eyesight and an agile hand. Trying to thread the hair through the tiny openings in the beads requires concentration. Because beads are so time consuming to apply, changing beads to match a particular ensemble or alter one's look is rarely a viable option. Beads are often left in place for days or weeks, with the user keeping the same assortment of beads in their hair rather than endure the tedious process of updating their look.

The prior art has put forth several designs for beaded clip hair clips. Among these are:

U.S. Patent 2013/0186424 to Jennifer Dean Zachery describes a device particularly useful as a decorative hair accessory, and as a way to keep hair in a braided style, that includes two opposing sections, a male section and a female section which, when coupled together or closed, create a channel for receiving braided hair. The two opposing sections have protrusions or teeth which are sized to help keep the device in position on the braid and to help keep the braid from unraveling. The exterior of the two opposing sections are formed sous to have the appearance of a row of individual beads. Alignment posts and locking mechanisms may be positioned along the length of the device to help maintain the device in a closed, aligned position and securely attached to the hair. Optionally, the device may include an opener with a tapered end to facilitate opening of the device.

U.S. Patent 2007/0144551 to Charlene Redmond and Michael Redmond describes a one piece hair barrette that appears on the hair as three or four individual beads and it snaps onto the hair instead of having to use a tool or thread each bead individually. This beaded barrette provides the same results as the single threaded bead but is easy to take off, protects beads from coming loose, makes hairstyle last longer, takes less time and requires no tools. The hair barrette comprises three or four beads connected together end to end, split in half with three or four live hinges connected to the two halves that allows the sections to open and close. To keep the two halves closed on the hair, a ball and socket latch are used along with a grove down the center of the connected bead halves to provide a placement for the hair bread.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,182 to Heather Joy Harmell describes a hair jewelry fastener that securely attaches jewelry to one's hair. The hair jewelry fastener includes a male half having a base with a first surface and a second surface for receiving a decorative portion. A protrusion extends from the first surface of the base and has a hair gripping surface and an enlarged portion that defines a lip and a hair contacting surface. A female half that hingedly couples to the male half is provided so that the male part and the female part can be placed into a mating engagement. The female half has a first surface that defines an opening that receives the protrusion and a second surface for defining hair receiving grooves. When the protrusions snapped into the opening, hair gripping surface and first surface of the female half securely attach the jewelry to one's hair.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a line of decorative hair beads comprising a two piece, hinged format and magnetic fastener that enable a user to effortlessly change the beads at any time.

The present invention is a hair accessory device for decorating hair. The hair accessory device comprises at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, and a first bead half and a second bead half. A hinge mechanism is mounted between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead. A releasable locking mechanism releasably secures the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position. The first bead half and the second bead half are movable from a closed position to an open position to receive at least a portion of the hair and from the open position to the closed position about the at least a portion of the hair. The at least one bead enables an effortless change of the at least one bead.

In addition, the present invention includes a method for decorating for hair. The method comprises providing at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, a first bead half and a second bead half, mounting a hinge mechanism between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead, moving the first bead half and the second bead half from a closed position to an open position, inserting at least a portion of the hair between the first bead half and the second bead half, moving the first bead half and the second bead half from the open position to the closed position, releasably securing the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position, and enabling an effortless change of the at least one bead.

The present invention further includes a hair accessory device for hair. The hair accessory device comprises at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, and a first bead half and a second bead half. An aperture is formed in the at least one bead from the top end and the bottom end with the aperture extending completely through the at least one bead. A spring hinge mechanism is mounted between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead with the spring hinge biasing the first bead half and the second bead half from the open position into the closed position. A releasable locking mechanism releasably secures the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position. The first bead half and the second bead half are movable from a closed position to an open position to receive at least a portion of the hair and from the open position to the closed position about the at least a portion of the hair. The at least one bead enables an effortless change of the at least one bead.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a hair accessory device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, containing four beads and applied to braided hair, with bead halves snapped closed into a closed position for securing closure around a braid.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the hair accessory device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing a spring hinge attached between each bead half facilitating opening the bead with the spring hinge biasing the bead halves into the closed position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the hair accessory device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the bead halves biased into the closed position with multiple solid colored beads of high grade enamel that are waterproof and tarnish resistant.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the hair accessory device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, containing two beads and applied to braided hair, with the bead halves snapped into the closed position for secured closure around a braid.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the hair accessory device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing brightly colored holiday beads applied to braided hair and snapped into the closed position secure closure around the end of the braid.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the hair accessory device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing an elongated single bead applied to braided hair and snapped closed for secure closure around the end of the braid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, hereinafter referred to as the Hair Accessory Device, indicated generally at 10, is a line of decorative hair beads 12 comprising a two piece, hinged design and releasable locking mechanism enabling a user to effortlessly change the beads 12. The Hair Accessory Device 10 are hair beads 12 configured expressly to significantly facilitate the process of applying beads 12 to hair 13, as well as enabling the wearer to easily remove the beads 12 to alter or update their look. Using the Hair Accessory Device 10 provides an easy and expeditious means of creating intricate and fashionable hairstyles with beads 12.

The Hair Accessory Device 10 of the present invention are beads 12 having a top end and a bottom end. The beads 12 are small, decorative accessories preferably constructed of a high grade, smooth, waterproof and tarnish resistant enamel material. The beads 12 are preferably produced in a wide range of colors, metallic finishes, and neutral hues, as well as adorned with a variety of decorative patterns including vertical and horizontal stripes, water color designs, holiday decor, and imagery etched into or painted onto the surface of the beads 12.

Elongated, oval, rectangular and barrel shaped, the beads 12 of the Hair Accessory Device 10 of the present invention are preferably substantially flat at the top end and the bottom end of the bead 12 enabling the user to stack several beads 12 one atop the next. Formed in the top end and the bottom end and extending through each bead 12 is a hollow tunnel 14 configured to receive the hair strand 13 thereby wrapping about the hair strand 13, as will be described in further detail below.

Most notably, unlike traditional beads which are configured to be slipped over the hair strand 13, the beads 12 of the Hair Accessory Device 10 of the present invention clip around the strand of hair 13. Each bead 12 is comprised of two sections, a first bead half 16 and a second bead half 18, which mirror each other and divide the bead 12 in half vertically. Between the top end and the bottom end of the bead 12 the first bead half 16 and the second bead half 18 are connected together by means of a hinge mechanism 20 allowing the first bead half 16 and the second bead half 18 to be manipulated into an open position. In a preferred embodiment, the hinge mechanism 20 is a spring hinge biasing the first bead half 16 and the second bead half 18 from the open position into a closed position about the hair strand 13.

In addition, as mentioned briefly above, the Hair Accessory Device 10 of the present invention includes the releasable locking mechanism 22 for releasably securing the first bead half 16 and the second bead half 18 in the closed position. Although any type of releasable locking mechanism 22 is within the scope of the present invention, preferably, the releasable locking mechanism 22 is a magnetic latch between the top end and the bottom end of the bead 12 opposite the hinge mechanism 20 allowing jaws of the bead 12 to securely close against one another by means of the corresponding magnetic fasteners located on the open edges of each side of the bead 12. The magnetic surfaces are configured to abut flush against one another, creating a secure, yet releasable, bond when applied. In further consideration, the interior of a bead 12 can contain a series of small tapered tines or ridged edges which grip the hair 13, further securing the bead 12 in place.

Application of the Hair Accessory Device 10 of the present invention is very simple and straight forward. First, a user purchases the Hair Accessory Device 10 in accordance to color, pattern and shape preference. The Hair Accessory Device 10 is applied to hair 12 that is braided, twisted, dreadlocked or otherwise divided into sections. To apply the Hair Accessory Device 10, the user simply opens the first bead half 16 and the second bead half 18 of an individual bead 12 and releasably secures the first bead half 16 and the second bead half 18 of the bead 12 closed over the sectioned hair 13 so that the hair 13 runs through the open center of the bead 12. When closed, the corresponding magnetic fasteners run along the outer edges of the jaws of the beads 12 and automatically, releasably lock together, releasably securing the bead 12 in place. This process is repeated with as many remaining beads 12 as the user wishes to apply. To change the beads 12, the user simply opens an individual bead and applies a bead 12 of a different color, pattern or shape in its stead. In this manner, beads 12 are effortlessly applied or changed with the application of a single bead 12 taking only a matter of seconds.

The Hair Accessory Device 10 of the present invention effectively transform a previously time consuming and frustrating chore of beading the hair 13 into a simple and fun activity that is easily executable with minimal effort. Cleverly constructed, hinged hair beads 12 with magnetic capability enable a user to simply clip a bead 12 over and around a sectioned hair strand 13 rather than threading beads 12 onto the hair 13. Home and professional stylists who use the Hair Accessory Device 10 eliminate painful pulling and tugging associated with other hair beading methods, giving their relatives, friends and clients greater comfort throughout the hair beading process. Durably and efficiently constructed, the present invention will withstand many years of continued use.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 

1. A hair accessory device for decorating hair, the hair accessory device comprising: at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, and a first bead half and a second bead half; a hinge mechanism mounted between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead; and a releasable locking mechanism for releasably securing the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position; wherein the first bead half and the second bead half are movable from a closed position to an open position to receive at least a portion of the hair and from the open position to the closed position about the at least a portion of the hair; and wherein the at least one bead enables an effortless change of the at least one bead.
 2. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the at least one bead is constructed of a smooth, waterproof, and tarnish resistant enamel material.
 3. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the at least one bead is constructed in a wide range of colors, metallic finishes, and neutral hues, as well as adorned with a variety of decorative patterns including vertical and horizontal stripes, water color designs, holiday decor, and imagery etched into or painted onto the surface of the beads.
 4. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the at least one bead is elongated, oval, rectangular, and barrel shaped.
 5. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the top end and the bottom end are substantially flat.
 6. The hair accessory device of claim 1 and further comprising: an aperture formed in the at least one bead from the top end and the bottom end, the aperture extending completely through the at least one bead.
 7. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the first bead half is identical to the second bead half, the first bead half and the second bead half vertically dividing the at least one bead.
 8. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the hinge mechanism a spring hinge.
 9. The hair accessory device of claim 8 wherein the spring hinge biases the first bead half and the second bead half from the open position into the closed position.
 10. The hair accessory device of claim 1 wherein the releasable locking mechanism is a magnetic latch on the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead opposite the hinge mechanism.
 11. The hair accessory device of claim 10 wherein the first bead half and the second bead half abut flush against one another in the closed position.
 12. The hair accessory device of claim 1 and further comprising: a series of small tapered tines or ridged edges on an inner surface of the at least one bead.
 13. A method for decorating for hair, the method comprising: providing at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, a first bead half and a second bead half; mounting a hinge mechanism between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead; moving the first bead half and the second bead half from a closed position to an open position; inserting the hair between the first bead half and the second bead half; moving the first bead half and the second bead half from the open position to the closed position; releasably securing the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position; and enabling an effortless change of the at least one bead.
 14. A hair accessory device for hair, the hair accessory device comprising: at least one bead having a top end, a bottom end, and a first bead half and a second bead half; an aperture formed in the at least one bead from the top end and the bottom end, the aperture extending completely through the at least one bead; a spring hinge mechanism mounted between the first bead half and the second bead half between the top end and the bottom end of the at least one bead, the spring hinge biasing the first bead half and the second bead half from the open position into the closed position; and a releasable locking mechanism for releasably securing the first bead half and the second bead half in the closed position; wherein the first bead half and the second bead half are movable from a closed position to an open position to receive at least a portion of the hair and from the open position to the closed position about the at least a portion of the hair; and wherein the at least one bead enables an effortless change of the at least one bead.
 15. The hair accessory device of claim 14 wherein the at least one bead is constructed in a wide range of colors, metallic finishes, and neutral hues, as well as adorned with a variety of decorative patterns including vertical and horizontal stripes, water color designs, holiday decor, and imagery etched into or painted onto the surface of the beads.
 16. The hair accessory device of claim 14 wherein the at least one bead is elongated, oval, rectangular, and barrel shaped.
 17. The hair accessory device of claim 14 wherein the top end and the bottom end are substantially flat.
 18. The hair accessory device of claim 14 wherein the first bead half is identical to the second bead half, the first bead half and the second bead half vertically dividing the at least one bead.
 19. The hair accessory device of claim 14 wherein the first bead half and the second bead half abut flush against one another in the closed position.
 20. The hair accessory device of claim 14 and further comprising: a series of small tapered tines or ridged edges on an inner surface of the at least one bead. 